LAKE MANSAROVAR | Devon ke Dev Mahadev

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Kalyani Nitin Bujone

@Kore-Soteira

IF-Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

LOCATION :- TIBET

SURFACE AREA :- 410 sq.km

MAX. DEPTH :- 90 m (300 ft)

SURFACE ELEVATION :- 4590 m (15060 ft)

FROZEN :- WINTER

Lake mansarovar (Mapam Yumco [chinese]) is a fresh water lake in the Tibet Autonomous region of China 940 kilometers (580 mi) of Lhasa. To the west of lake Mansarovar is Lake Rakshastal & to the north is Mount Kailash.

GEOGRAPHY:- Lake Mansarovar lies at 4590 meters (15060 ft) above sea level, a relatively high elevation for a large fresh water lake on the mostly saline lake studded Tibetan plateau. Despite claims to the contrary, there are hundreds of higher fresh water in the world, including a larger & higher freshwater lake at 4941 m (16211 ft) above sea level & 495 sq km in size, Angpa Tso (East Chihpuchang Hu), further east of Tibetan plateau at 33-24N 90-17E. The largest freshwater lake of its size is (290 sq km) over 5000 meters elevation is Pumoyang Tso (Pumuoyang Tso) also on Tibetan plateau, at 28-34N 90-24E & 5018 meters (16463 ft) elevation. Lake Mansarovar is relatively round in shape with the circumference of 88 kilometers (55 mi). Its depth reaches a maximum of 90 m (300 ft) & its surface area is 320 sq km (120 sq mi). it is connected to the nearby Lake Rakshastal by the natural Ganga Chhu channel. Mansarovar is the nearby source of river Satluj which is the easternmost tributary of Indus river. Nearby are the sources of Brahmaputra river, the Indus river & the Karnali (Ghagara) river an important tributary of The Ganges (Ganga) river.
RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE:-

IN HINDUISM:- As per Hindu mythology, Lake Manas Sarovar is a personification of purity, & one who drinks water from the lake will go to the abode of Lord Shiva after death. He is believed to have cleansed all his sins committed over hundred lifetimes. Like Mount Kailash, lake Mansarovar is a place of pilgrimage, attracting religious people from India,Nepal,Tibet & the other neighbouring countries. Bathing in Manas Sarovar & drinking its water is believe to cleanse all sins. Pilgrims tours are organized regularly especially from India, the most famous being the 'Kailash Manas Sarovar yatra' which takes place every year. Pilgrims come to take ceremonial baths in the cleansing water of the lake. Mansarovar has long being viewed by the pilgrims as the nearby source of the 4 greatest rivers of Asia namely, Brahmaputra, Karnali, Indus & Satluj. Thus it is an axial point which has been thronged to by pilgrims for thousanda if years. The region was initially closed to pilgrims from outside; no foreigners were allowed between 1949 to 1980. After the 1980s it has again became a part of the Hindu pilgrim trail.According to Hindu religion, the lake was first created in the mind of the Lord Brahma, ater which it manifested on earth. Hence in Sanskrit, it is called 'Manas Sarovara' which is a combination of the words 'manas'(mind) & 'sarovara'(lake). The lake, in Hindu belief, is the summer abode of the 'Hamsa' goose. Considered to be sacred, the 'Hamsa' is an important element in the symbology of the sub-continent, representing wisdom & beauty.
IN BUDDHISM:- Buddhist also associate the lake with the legendary lake known as 'ANAVATAPTA' in Sanskrit & 'ANOTATTA' in Pali, where Queen Maya is believed to have conceived Lord Buddha. The lake has a few monasteries on the shores, the most notable of which is the ancient Chiu Gompa Monastery built on a steep hill, looking as if it has been carved right out of rock. The lake is very popular in Buddhist literature & associated with many teachings & stories in Buddhism. It is reported that Lord Buddha stayed & meditated near this lake on several occasions. Buddhists say that the famous 'Uturu kuru divaina' (island or mountain range) was nearby the Anavatapata vila. However, the more evidence shows that Uturu-kuru-divaina was the Kuril islands, Kuril islands as the Sanskrit meaning of Uturu-kuru is the Northen men as kuru means man in the Ainu language. Lake Mansarovar is also the subject of the meditative Tibetan tradition, "The Jewel Tree of Tibet." A modern narration & description was made popular by Robert Thurman.
IN JAINISM:- As per Jainism, the Kailash Mansarovar with the first Tirthankar Lord Shree Rushabdeva. Ashtapad mountain which is near to Mount Kailash is a place where Lord Rushadevji attained Nirvana (Moksh) with crores of his disciples.

Text collected from Wikipedia.

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